Abstract: Various embodiments for systems and methods for cooperative driving of connected autonomous vehicles using responsibility-sensitive safety (RSS) rules are disclosed herein. The CAV system integrates proposed RSS rules with CAV's motion planning algorithm to enable cooperative driving of CAVs. The CAV system further integrates a deadlock detection and resolution system for resolving traffic deadlocks between CAVs. The CAV system reduces redundant calculation of dependency graphs.

Abstract: A model implemented by a processor and trained for patch embedding of anatomical consistency captures the anatomical structure consistency between patients of different genders and weights and between different views of the same patient, which enhances the interpretability for medical image analysis. The model is trained via a self-supervised learning (SSL) framework that captures both global and local patterns embedded within medical images.

Abstract: Quantum circuits for QFT and Inverse QFT (IQFT) are disclosed that can be applied for use in signal and speech, analysis synthesis and compression. A unique method perceptual selection of QFT components is also outlined.

Abstract: This disclosure is related to materials with highly stable and reversible water sorption and retention properties, as well as formulations and methods for their manufacture and uses. Composite materials of the present disclosure can avoid weeping or leakage of liquid water at wide ranges in ambient relative humidities so as to be suitable for a variety of applications including thermal management, thermal energy storage, atmospheric water generation and dehumidification systems. Composites disclosed herein can comprise an ionomeric material and in some embodiments, a hygroscopic or deliquescent salt. Furthermore, composites disclosed herein can also include a water vapor permeable or support polymer material providing support for reversible expansion or volume changes during water vapor sorption/desorption cycling via porous and/or elastic character, thereby avoiding mechanical restriction that could cause weeping or leakage of liquid water.

Abstract: A suction cup device is operable for precisely-controlled attachment and detachment with an object surface, and can include attachment actuators that activate to form a seal between the suction cup device and the object surface by decreasing a cavity pressure of the suction cup device. Following attachment, the attachment actuators can deactivate to hold the seal in a “passive” mode. For detachment from the object surface, the suction cup device can include detachment actuators that increase the cavity pressure to break the seal and release the object surface from the suction cup device.

Abstract: A falloposcope is described, and a method of screening a patient for fallopian tube and/or ovarian cancer with the falloposcope. The falloposcope can perform optical imaging, including fluorescence imaging and/or optical coherence tomography (OCT), and optionally include a channel for a sampling wire, within a diameter of about 0.7 millimeter. The method includes inserting the falloposcope through a lumen of vagina, cervix, uterus, and fallopian tube so a tip of the falloposcope is in proximity to a first fallopian tube or ovary of the patient; providing fluorescence stimulus wavelength through an illumination fiber of the falloposcope while imaging light at fluorescence emission wavelength through a coherent fiber bundle to form fluorescence emissions images; and determining suspect tissue. Then the sampling wire is used to collect cells from the suspect tissue for karyotype and other analysis.

Abstract: A mechanical system includes a curved beam and a motor coupled to the curved beam. The curved beam is configured to buckle at two different locations along the positive and negative portions of its load/displacement curve, corresponding to opposite and equal sense bending directions. The motor is configured to impart a flapping motion to the curved beam.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for delivering and/or linking molecules, such as DNA, between tunable metal nanogaps and measuring electrical and/or optical properties. In one example, disclosed are high density multiplexed chips with a plurality of groups, each group including a plurality of nanodevices, the chips capable of coupling to one or more multiwell structures for providing samples to each individual group. In this way, the chips can be used for high-throughput analysis of molecules such as DNA.

Abstract: Compositions and methods that utilize a combination of essential oils or other plant-derived extracts or compounds and an emulsifier as an antimicrobial are provided. In some embodiments the compositions further include ozone. In some embodiments, the composition includes one or more plant essential oils, plant extracts, or plant-derived compounds, or combinations thereof, and an emulsifier (such as a saponin). The antimicrobial composition may also include water, peracetic acid, acetic acid, lactic acid, citric acid, and/or hydrogen peroxide. Methods of killing a microorganism, including contacting the microorganism with the disclosed antimicrobial compositions are also provided. The microorganism may be present on a food item or a food contact of non-food contact surface and may be in the form of a biofilm. In some examples, the antimicrobial composition is used one or more times (such as 1 to 5 times).

Abstract: A system with graph-based Natural Language Processing (NLP) for querying, analyzing, and visualizing complex data structures is described. Such a system executes a generalized AI language model; defines and migrates a training dataset into a graph database by exposing data sources to an executing AI language model that self-defines a structure and self-writes an executable script to query the original data sources and self-writes code to load the extracted data into a graph database in the form of new nodes and new relationships with directionality between the nodes. The system further includes means for loading the extracted data into the graph database; condensing the information stored within the graph database into a condensed data structure representing the full architecture of the data in a natural language format; and responding to human language inquiries with responsive text, speech, and visualizations using the data loaded into the graph database.

Abstract: Various embodiments of a system and associated method for detecting and classifying faults in a photovoltaic array using graph-based signal processing.

Abstract: A system and method for the automatic stimulation of a vagus nerve for post-stroke rehabilitation is disclosed. The system includes an application subsystem having an electrode positioned to stimulate the vagus nerve and coupled to a user outside of a surgical setting. The system also includes a waveform generator communicatively coupled to the electrode, and a triggering subsystem including a receiver configured to detect the presence of a tag. The triggering subsystem is communicatively coupled to waveform generator and is configured to automatically trigger the stimulation of the vagus nerve upon detecting the presence of the tag. The tag is located proximate a rehabilitation context such that the tag is detected when the user is using the rehabilitation context, resulting in the vagus nerve of the user being automatically stimulated by the electrode in response to the user's post-stroke rehabilitation training.

Abstract: A functional ultrathin battery separator and method for fabricating the same is disclosed. The battery separator includes a polymer substrate that is flexible, and a functional barrier layer deposed on the polymer substrate. The functional barrier layer is polycrystalline and includes a metal-organic framework and a plurality of micropores. The functional barrier layer is able to flex with the polymer substrate. The functional barrier layer is compact, such that diffusion pathways through the functional barrier layer are limited to a cutoff size, and such that the diffusion pathways that are largest are located within grains of the polycrystalline functional barrier layer rather than between grains. The battery separator may be less than 10 ?m thick, and the polymer substrate may be less than 9 ?m thick. The metal-organic framework may be ZIF-8, and the functional barrier layer may be less than 2 ?m thick.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a body and a plurality of members extending from the apparatus configured to form carvings with different geometries along 2D layered semiconductor material. The apparatus includes conductive pins positioned along the plurality of members that accommodate individual sensing of current-voltage characteristics per carving. The carvings can include small stripes and the apparatus can probe the electrical resistance of the small stripes of 2D layered semiconductors where the geometry defines strong current confinement, thus enabling the rapid extraction of sheet resistance for rapid comparison between material quality.

Abstract: A method of making a metal-polymer composite includes dealloying metallic powder to yield porous metal particles, monitoring a temperature of the mixture, controlling the rate of combining, a maximum temperature of the mixture, or both, and combining the porous metal particles with a polymer to yield a composite. Dealloying includes combining the metallic powder with an etchant to yield a mixture. A metal-polymer composite includes porous metal particles having an average particle size of about 0.2 ?m to about 500 ?m and a thermoplastic or thermoset polymer. The polymer composite comprises at least 10 vol % of the porous metal particles. A powder mixture includes porous metal particles having an average particle size of about 0.2 ?m to about 500 ?m and a metal powder. The powder mixture includes about 1 wt % to about 99 wt % of the porous metal particles.

Abstract: A time-synchronized micro-scale continuous point-on-wave (CPoW) measurement device, referred to as micro-CPoW, is provided. The distribution system is an integral part of the electric power system, but not much is known about how it behaves in real-time. To address this knowledge gap, a low-cost, time-synchronized, CPoW measurement system is designed, built, and characterized herein. The purpose of the micro-CPoW measurement device is to monitor the instantaneous electric current flowing through a distribution line in real time. Detection of harmonics, identification of incipient fault conditions, and general power quality monitoring are typical uses for the measured information. Because the micro-CPoW measurement device is self-powered by the line current and communicates wirelessly, it can be installed without ground-mounted instrument transformers, low-voltage power sources, or communications cabling.

Abstract: Described herein are means for systematically determining an optimal approach for the computer-aided diagnosis of a pulmonary embolism, in the context of processing medical imaging. According to a particular embodiment, there is a system specially configured for diagnosing a Pulmonary Embolism (PE) within new medical images which form no part of the dataset upon which the AI model was trained.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods and related devices for preprocessing a biological sample during transit. The method may comprise the steps of: storing a biological sample in a storage container having walls that defines a storage volume; transporting the storage container with the stored biological sample to a sample processing facility; controlling one or more storage container parameters during the transporting step to initiate preprocessing of the biological sample; wherein the controlling step improves a processing parameter at the sample processing facility.

Abstract: A computer-implemented model is trained or otherwise configured for real-time production control. The model incorporates a plurality of classes of residence time control and optimizes produce performance by managing an associated machine's behavior according to real-time system states. The model can formulate a Markov decision process and feature-extraction method and feature-based approximation architecture to reduce state space of the model. Simulation is employed in training to estimate parameters of feature-based approximate architecture to obtain a lookahead function of the Markov decision process.

Abstract: A system for implementation within a visual sensing pipeline facilitates dynamic voltage scaling for image sensors, enabling image sensors to capture frames at varying fidelities for improved energy efficiency. The system includes hardware and software interfaces to enable dynamic voltage scaling, and are demonstrated with integration into an RPi-based streaming platform. The system is evaluated with representative IoT/AR workloads over various voltage scheduling policies.